I felt an inexplicable fear of being in the company of humans … The ceiling in my home seemed lower than usual and the rooms, smaller. I could hear nagging mantras and was sure I could be seen through curtained windows.

People often ask how I create the texture in my paintings. They can't grasp the concept of washing a completed watercolor. This timelapse shows the three steps it takes to apply and rinse the top coat and to do the final detailing.

The last half of 2018 was a whirlwind as we hurried to wrap up the Tortuga Bosque mural between bouts of wind, rain, snow, and flu. I learned a lot, being part of that project, and I met and worked with some really great people.

Logan and Pax of Tortuga Gallery were kind and generous, in all stages of the project, with their time, money, treats, and open hearts. Tortuga is a hub for creatives, so Denise Weaver Ross and I had no trouble finding talented artists and support staff who volunteered food, supplies, time, and skills to help us realize our vision. I’m grateful to have met sculptor Joel Davis, a meticulous craftsman, whose insightful patter encouraged me and made time on the wobbly sky lift pass easily. Denise and I agree that the persistence of guest artists Lesley Long, Ilene Weiss, Jan Beck, and Heather Linderfelt tremendously lightened our load. Their skill and tenaciousness populated our mural with joyful flora and fauna that continue to attract visitors from all over the city. Behind the scenes John Stebbins photographed our beautiful wildlife depictions from which Patrick Carr, of Carr Imaging, generously produced and donated more than 75 archival quality giclees as gifts for our sponsors.

Oh my gosh… the sponsors, the Sierra Club’s Bosque Action Team, and the staff of Mural Fest all played a part in making this amazing project possible. But this huge endeavor started as a single idea by the talented and prolific Denise Weaver Ross. She designed and managed this project within which a community worked hard, and celebrated well, and left a beautiful gift for Tortuga’s neighbors.

Stop by anytime to see the Tortuga Bosque Mural, 901 Edith Blvd SE, Albuquerque NM, at the corner of Edith Blvd and Pacific street. You can’t, and shouldn’t, miss it!

Special thanks to Jeff Hartzer, of Bunnytown, for this beautiful winter wonderland shot - January 1, 2019.

Denise and I take turns painting the upper portions of the mural from the perch of a scissor lift. I didn’t realize how high 25 feet was ‘til I was up there last week. The lift takes up about half the sidewalk width, so working that high put me at the top of the trees that are planted along the curb. It was a breezy, kinda good for ballooning day, and I was concentrating on drawing cottonwood leaves. The sunset peeked over the top of the wall, reflecting off the edge of my eyeglasses, and trees rustled at my back. I was in the zone, at peace with the universe, one with the work at hand.

Suddenly, in a flurry of wings and whistles, the birds arrived. One crazy wing nut musta thought my fluff of white hair was nesting material. He veered over the top of the building, winged me in the head, and tumbled into the branches behind me. He musta landed on his feet in the tree ‘cause I didn’t see him on the ground. Every bird in the hood went nuts! It was about ten minutes before they realized it was a no-fault collision and settled into their evening chatter.

The next day, when I didn’t encounter that crazy bird, I figured he flew an alternate route.

"On our path, we travel along the seeker/master continuum being one or the other, or at times, both simultaneously. We gather what we have the capacity to hold, and share what we understand to be of value to others. It's important to be discerning in what we share, as our understanding is colored by our experiences and may not be objectively true or of value to another." Excerpt from the story for the painting Imparting Wisdom.

This 30" x 40" watercolor on wood panel was created for the Bees and Bad Poetry event at Ghostwolf Gallery. The event is August 18 from 1 to 4 pm. Archival quality giclées are available upon request through my SHOP page.

Wonder about the iconography of my work? Here’s a peek inside this mythological mash-up.

A Nice Cup of Tea is showing as part of ARTScrawl NOW at the Hotel Andaluz in downtown Albuquerque through the end of June.

When I'm overwhelmed by all my hafta's and to do's, a cuppa' usually helps me feel better. If that doesn't work, I call a friend and hang in a dark cozy joint over a relaxation inducing adult beverage. Since I got a painting hangin at the Hotel Andaluz, you can probably catch me there. I like to huddle in a cushy sofa in the Casbah lounge, snack on some tasty tapas, and dig on live music. Wanna chill? Meet me there.

KD Neeley Gallery welcomes a variety of artists, and New Mexico House of Representatives' memberBill McCamley, to talk about the current cannabis legislation in New Mexico. But that's not all ... The Chronicle NMwill be on hand with the latest cannabis product info, and there'll be stand-up comedy and open mic performances. I'll be offering a dozen paintings at this event to help raise funds for this not-for-profit gallery. So, come join us for some art, open mic, and comedy, in support of cannabis education and legislation.

KD Neeley Gallery104 4th St NW, Downtown AlbuquerqueEvent: Friday April 20 from 6 to 10 pmExhibition is ongoing through May 25Tuesday through Friday 10 am - 2 pm and Saturday 11 am - 6 pm____________Shown here: A Fearless Examination of Selfis one of a dozen of my works for sale at the KD Neeley Gallery from April 20 through May 25. It's the study for a larger piece entitled The Transmutation of Sacrifice.

My work has always contained elements of universal stories, presented as a conglomerate of borrowed religious, and personal, iconography. Its purpose is to stimulate correspondences of similar scenarios, and accompanying outcomes, in the mind of the viewer. They're meditative pieces that I present in a humorous, contemporary eye-catching way. In that sense, they're similar to works in a medieval Book of Hours.

These books were commissioned by royal families to contain prayers, illuminations of life in their kingdom, and images of their favorite spiritual role models. I've been working to present my work in historical context by juxtaposing my iconography within the compositional context of these books. As always, I hope that such a juxtaposition will be the crowbar that opens a viewer's mind to a different view of their life journey.

I've completed three works within this framework: The Artist;The Annunciation; and shown here Vanitas. You can visit with all three in person at Ghostwolf Gallery. I'm usually at the gallery on Thursdays, and I'd love your company.____________Shown here: Vanitasincorporates social media iconography: waving hands; a variety of smiley faces; and the pervasive OMG. The Latin inscription, under the image, translates to "Vanity, vanity, all is vanity."